Five States Pass Measures Barring Noncitizen Voting With Over 60% Support

Voters in Kansas, Alaska, Arkansas, South Dakota, and West Virginia approved ballot measures on November 4, 2026, that restrict noncitizens from voting in state and local races. In all five jurisdictions, support for the initiatives exceeded 60 percent. These state-level actions clarify citizenship requirements for elections that fall under state jurisdiction, even though federal law already prohibits noncitizens from voting in federal contests.

Jason Snead, executive director of the Honest Elections Project, described the results as evidence of widespread support for proof-of-citizenship rules. He pointed to a 2024 Gallup poll indicating that 83 percent of Americans back requiring first-time voters to provide proof of citizenship. That figure includes 66 percent of Democrats, suggesting the issue transcends traditional party lines. Snead noted that the measures enjoyed bipartisan backing in the states where they passed.

The victories align with the political agenda of President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans, who have long advocated for stricter citizenship verification. The state-level momentum coincides with the Supreme Court’s preparation to review a dispute involving Arizona. The case, Republican National Committee v. Mi Familia Vota, will determine whether a state can require proof of citizenship on voter registration forms and remove suspected noncitizens from rolls before an election. A ruling in this matter will influence how states enforce citizenship requirements nationwide.

Contrasting results emerged in California, where voters rejected Proposition 39 by a margin of roughly 17 percentage points. The measure drew 58.5 percent of the vote against it and 41.4 percent in favor. Proposition 39 would have required voter identification and additional citizenship-verification procedures. Snead attributed the defeat to the political environment in California, where elected leadership had been openly hostile to the idea. He noted that the left spent more than $30 million in the campaign to defeat the measure.

An Arizona proposal also failed, according to Snead, because it included several provisions beyond noncitizen voting. These state-level outcomes follow failed efforts in Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, a bill that would require proof of citizenship to register to vote. The act became a major flashpoint between Republicans and Democrats, who sparred over whether to attach it to a budget reconciliation package.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune stated that Republicans lacked the necessary votes to pass the SAVE America Act. Democrats argued the bill would disenfranchise eligible voters. The legislation also contributed to a standoff during a Department of Homeland Security shutdown, as the administration’s effort to tie the bill to department funding created a political obstacle.

Hans von Spakovsky, a former Federal Election Commission member and senior legal fellow at Advancing American Freedom, criticized the Democratic Party for turning a 90-10 issue into a politicized fight. He argued that Democrats are out of step with their voters. Snead agreed, stating that the left should answer questions about its opposition to a measure favored by 90 percent of the population.

Spakovsky warned that the newly passed state provisions may prove ineffective unless states are allowed to verify voters’ citizenship. He cited the upcoming Supreme Court case as the key determinant of whether federal law prevents Arizona from requiring documentary proof. Snead argued that the current system of checking a box on a federal form has been insufficient, pointing to recent Justice Department arrests and failures in New Jersey’s automatic voter registration system. That system added 6,600 noncitizens to the rolls, with almost 400 of them voting.

Spakovsky noted that a ruling in favor of Arizona would only apply to future registrations. He expressed concern that Democrats might defund the SAVE database at the Department of Homeland Security to prevent states from using it to check the citizenship of already registered voters. Snead praised the administration’s efforts to expand states’ access to the SAVE database, calling the previous process cumbersome. He voiced concerns that Democrats will try to defund the system or pass legislation to prevent its use for cleaning up voter rolls.